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A Marine Renewable Research Centre opened in Ireland

In Ringaskiddy, Ireland, a new renewable energy and maritime research centre to boost the development of the blue economy.

This new building dedicated to the development of marine renewable energy which has been named the Beaufort building (reference to the Irish hydrographer who created the beaufort Wind Scale Rear Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort), will present a large set of features such as wave simulators, test tanks, workshops and offices. Located against the National Maritime College of Ireland, the Beaufort building is an extension of the University’s Environmental Research Institute (ERI) and will represent the UCC’s on the IMERC Campus.

With a total space of 4,700 square meters, the Beaufort building will host the headquarters SFI MaREI Centre and the LIR National ocean Test Facility. More than 135 researchers, industry partners and support staff will work together within the Beaufort centre to meet the challenges of marine renewable energy.

The test facilities of the Building include a 2,600m² tank-hall which will host four different wave tanks and a suite of electrical test infrastructures. These wave tanks will be able to recreate waves up to 1;2 metres high which are equivalent to the 30m+ waves experienced in extreme conditions off the west coast of Ireland and in the Atlantic, and will be used extensively by LIR, the National Ocean Test Facility located in the Beaufort Building.

The construction has been financed by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and Bord Gáis Energy (BGE) through the PRTLI 5 Programme, the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on a site provided by the Industrial Development Agency (IDA) facilitated by the Port of Cork. Recurrent funding has been provided by the HEA and BGE also under PRTLI 5 and the Glucksman Foundation in UCC.